Green-corn-husking machine.



'PATENTE AUG. zo, 1907.

J. LTHFORB, GREEN @URN HSKING MACHINE.

APPLIUTIN FILED SEPT. 28. 190.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. J. LATGHFORD.

PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

GREEN CORN HUSKING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED sBPmzs, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M3U/wam PATBNTED AUG'. 2o, 1907.

W. J. LATGHFORB. GREEN CRN HUSKNG MACHINE.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EDDIE EEES menmimmmmmmm al erhmmm LPLIUATIGN FILED BEPT.IL28. 190B.

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No. 863,857. 'PATBNTHDAUG- 2o, 1907. W. J. LATGHPORD. GREEN CORN HUSKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIN FAILED SET. 28.1908.

s sHEBTg-SEEBT 5. 6 l 365 i man STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GREEN-CORN-HSKING MACHINE.

T i all who-m it may concern;

Be it known that l, WILLIAM'J. Lsrcnronn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of-Illinois, have invented new and Vuseful Improvements in Green-Corn-I-Iusking Machines,

' of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of'this invention is to provide a mechanism adapted for cleaning the husk and silk from ears of green corn preparatory to further steps in the process of preparing corn for canning. l

It comprises mechanism for slitting the.husk longitudinally and devices forengaging the sections to fold them back from one-end of the ear and thereby strip` them off. p

It also comprises, as preferably contained in the same organization, suitable means for removing the silk from the ear before it passes beyond the control of the feeding devices, thereby avoiding subsequent or separate handling forthat purpose.

It consists also of a specific mechanism shown and described and set out in the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a machine embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view of the same,.certain parts being removed to disclose the part below, and other parts being broken out to condense the dimensions of the view. Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. l upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a section at the line 4-4 on Fig. 3 on the scale of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified construction of the husk-detaching mechanism. Fig. 6, is a detail section at the line 6-6 on Fig. 5, the gear housing and gears for one of the rolls being broken away'. Fig. 7 is a section at the -line 7-7 on Fig. G. Fig. t5 is a detail vertical section, transverse to the ear, at the plane of the axes of a pair of feed rolls, as at the plane 8-8 on Fig. l. Fig. 9 is a detail section at the line 99 on Fig. l. Fig. l0 is a dertail section at the line lO--l on Fig. 1 Fig. ll is a detail's'ection at the line ll--ll on Fig. l. Fig. 12 is a section at the line 12-12 on Fig. 3. Fig. 13 is a section at the line I3--l3 on Fig. l2. Fig. I4 is an enlarged detail section of one of the feed rolls, at the line 14-14 on i Fig. S. Fig. l5 is a detail section of one of the husking but which may be long enough to accommodate a number of ears laid end to end in the hopper 'and thereby delivered in a row lying endwise behind each other. The hopper over-hangs an endless conveyer, 2,.

whosedireetion of travel is longitudinal of the dischargel mount of the hopper, and which receives the ears 'as they are' delivered tothe hopper for advancing them to Specification of Letters Patent. p Application filed September 28,1906. Serial No. 336,539.

Patented Augeo, 19'07".l

feed rollers, 3, 3, by which they are propelledjnto the path of` the devices for husking. The ears are deliv. ered into the hppper and taken by the conveyer, point foremost. The first process or action to which Ythe ear is subjected is the longitudinal slitting of the husk, which is performed either by disk cutters, 3a, in the feed rolls, as shown in Fig. 5, or by a plurality of knives, 4, 4, 4, 4. 4

A less or greater number of knives may be employed with corresponding modification in the subsequent devices. In Figs. 1 and 9 there are shown four knives to quarter the husk by longitudinal slitting. In thisv form of the invention, each of the knives, 4, is pivotally mounted on the frame so as to project forward obliquely,

the knives converging in their forward oblique trend toward the axis of the ear, and being pressed thereon by a spring, 5, for each knife, the knives operate with a draw cut and yielding pressure upon the husk, and being suitably sharp they slit it from end to end as the earis fed through between them. Beyond the cutting devices,

Whether they be the disks, 3*", of Fig. 5, or the knives,

there are located the devices for stripping the husk.

These devices comprise a barbed roller or wheel, 6, for

each of the sections into which the husk is slitted, such wheels being mounted two and two opposed to each other,-that is, at opposite sides of the eau-aud revolving with their sides next the ear moving forward in the direction of advance ofthe ear; and the mechanism for rotating them is geared so as to give them at their periphery, as nearly as may be calculated, a speed equal to the speed of travel of the ear as it is advanced by the feed rollers, some allowance being made for slipping. Each of these rollers or wheels, 6, has projecting from its periphery barbed pins'or studs, 7, 7. An entirely satisfactory form of these pins is made from a round rod terminating in a large conical head having ali-abrupt flat annular shoulder back of the head making a barb.` Two such barb-enlargements may be formed on eachpiri'if desired, and this is desirable for very heavy husks and for the outer row of barbs in certain of the formsof the rolls hereinafter described. Preferably, these barbed pins are distributed in a plurality of circumferential rows or series around each wheel, the outer rows operating only on large ears or heavy husks. f

Theipins of adjacent rows or series are preferably distributed so as to produce a staggered ar1angement,that is to say, each barb in one series being opposite the interval between the two barbs oi the adjacent series. Thisarrangement adapts they devices to strip off the husks of large ears of which section should be quite wide, as effectually as it will strip the narrower sections of smaller ears; but the single row or circumferential series of barbs is satisfactorily efficient in most cases.

`To increase the adaptation of these husk-stripping defor causing them to grip the ears so tightly as might otherwise be necessary, I have in some cases provided,

' cooperating with each of the barbed rollers, and geared thereto by intermeshing gears, 9, 91, a winged roller, 8,

the wings, 8, being flexible and for that purpose being conveniently made of rubber packing or like material, so thathaving by their projection from the` roll engaged the loose en ds'oftfle husk beyond the point at which the first barb penetrates it, the wing will fold while car- -rying the husk in 'hetw een the two rolls, and thus wrapping and pressing it yelildingly on to the barbed roll will prevent the husk from escaping from the barbs and will cause it, held snugly on to the barbed roller, to serve as a means by which the rotation of the roll will draw the ear somewhat in the direction which it requires to be fed, thus assisting the feed rollers and diminishing the need for pressure of the latter to grasp the ear. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 9 I have shown four husk-stripping rolls and four slitting knives,

the husk being quartered and each quarter engaged byV vi a separate roll for stripping it off. For driving thefour barbed rollsr and adapting them to accommodate themselves to ears of different diameter, they are -geared together in pairs, two of each pair having their axes at right angles to each other so as 4to present their barbed peripheries toward the axisof the ear at points ninety which substantially bisects the angle of divergence between the axes of the two rolls of the pair. Both pairs of 'rolls and their respective connecting gearsbeing thus movably mounted are yieldingly pressed toward each other and toward the axis of the ear, as hereinafter described. For gearing together the two barbed rolls of ach pair, their shafts are provided vwith intermeshing .miter gears, 12, 12, and on vthe shaft of the upper of the two rolls there is another beveled gear, 13, which meshes with an upstanding shaft, 14,A which is also journaled in the gearing frame, 11. This' gearing frame aty its lower end is pivotally mounted on a longitudinal shaft-at the lower part of the machine frame, two such longitudinal shafts being provided, one upon each side ofthe vertical plane of the path of the ear, driven as hereinafter more particularly described; and the gearing frames, 11, at one side are pivoted on one of these shafts, 30, While the' identically constructe gearing frame at the other side is pivoted on the other shaft, 30.4

A beveled gear, 15, on the longitudinal shaft meshes with the beveled gear, 16, at the lower end of the vertical shaft, I4, fo'r communicating power from the longitudinal shaft to the husk-stripping rolls at the upper end of the pivoted gearing frame, Il. A spring, l1, connects the two gearing frames, l1, for drawing them toward each other to press the husk-stripping rolls they respectively carry inward against the ear and to.yield for admitting the can and accommodating ears of different diameter. Adjustable stop bolts, Il, set into the frame of the machine serve to limit theapproach of the gearing frames, ll, 1I, under the actionofthe spring.

' The two vertical shafts, 14, '14, are rotatedin opposite directions, their beveled gears, 16, being at opposite sides of their respective driving beveled gears, 15,

15, on the parallel shafts, 30, 30'", which arerotated inA the same direction by chains, 30, 30", connecting their respective sprocket wheels, 30, with the Asprocket wheels, 32, on the parallel shafts, 31, 31, which are journaled outside the frame structure for carrying the feed-roll-driving gears, ashereinafter described.

Immediately beyond the system of barbed rolls described, there are preferably mounted a second pair of feed rolls, 25, 25, for engaging the ear after the husk is stripped therefrom. These rolls, for the purpose of such engagement without danger of mashing the grains, are provided with slender sharp-pointed teeth, 25, which trend back with respect tothe direction of rotation of the rolls for engagement with the ear, so that they vmay withdraw from the grains or cob in so far as they penetrate them, Without plowing up and mutilating or shelling the corn. These teeth are preferably short as well as slender, their `grasp or engagement of the ear bein'g designedly to supplement a moderate pressure which the rolls exert upon the ear for feeding it. Immediately beyond. this pair of feeding rolls there is preferably. located a second set of-husk-stripping rolls which are of the same construction and are geared and 'mounted'foroperation and are driven in precisely the same manner as the firs'setr-namely, from beveled gears, 15, l5, on the horizontal shafts, 30, 30, and the corresponding parts,-rolls, gears, shafts and pivoted frame,-are similarly lettered. Beyond this second set ofbarbed rolls, there preferably is located a third pair of feed rolls constructed and operated precisely like the feed rolls, 25, above described, and denoted by the same letters. Beyond these feed rolls there'is located shaft, 39, which has at the lower end a beveled gear,

38E, meshing with a beveled gear, 39, on the shaft, 30. Emerging from between these brushes, the ears are received between two final feed rolls, 33, 33, by which they are delivered from the machine into any proper receptacle or conveyer not shown.

For driving the feed rolls and their devices alread described, the longitudinal shafts, 31', 3l, above mentioned, yare. provided, said shafts being journaled on lthe frame of the machine outside the standards at the lower part and connected for rotation in the same direction by chain, 31h, passing about sprocket wheels,-3l0, 31. Power is communicated to the shaft, 31, by a belt over a pulley, 35, on said shaft. Intermeshing beveled gears, 34, on the shaft, 31,'and 34, on each of the vertical shafts, 36, rotate the latter, which transmit rotationbyv beveled gears, 36d, at their upper ends to intermeslring beveled gears, 37, on the lower feed roll shafts, respectively, and on the conveyer driving roll shaft, 38, for rotating said several 'roll shafts to actuate the lower 'feed rolls and the conveyer, 2.

The bearings of all the upper feed rolls are mounted for yielding aWay-that is, upward,-from the lower feed rolls to accommodate ears of different diameter, the

journal boxes, 6, of said upper rolls being for that pura set of brushes, 2 8, for stripping off the silk which may i remain after the husk is stripped away. These brushes 'I .v date earsof different sizes, vertical shafts, 44, are jourf-naled on the frameof the machine, having at their lower ends beveled gears, 40, meshing with the gears, 42, on the shaft, 31B, and at the upper ends beveled gears, 45, meshing with beveled` gears, 43, on the ends of `the'shaft of said upper'rolls, a yoke, 4G, being provided having the bearing at that end of said upper roll and having the beveled gear,'\45, journaled in it for meshingwith the b'eveled gear, 43, on the roll shaft. The upper end of the shaft,^44, has a cross pin, '44, which engages a slot, 45, inftle'hubf' the beveled gear, 45, fr driving the latterythe shaft itself being loosely tted in the hub so as to preventsagpy cramping in case-,the upper rolls when crowded away from the lower by a large ear should not lift equally at the two ends. ,This description applies equally to all the pairs of feed rolls, the-same letters being used'to designate the corresponding parts in them all.

When the fourhusking rolls are employed, located as in Fig.`3, the husks stripped by the two lower rolls are delivered downward between said two rolls and are di-A rected and gathered by, a hopper-mouthed chute, 60, for discharge between-the shafts, and 30%. In this type 'of construction, the husks stripped by the upper rolls are deflected over the housing of the beveled gear train for driving the two rolls of each pair into llateral chutes, 61, 61, and are discharged thereby outside the v -row of vertical shafts which transmit motion to the feed I rolls.

I nd it` entirely practicable to strip the husks by means of the barbedrolls described without dividing the husks into more than two sections, and`this isusually preferable by reason of the simplicity of the structure and reduction in cost of the machine which may be efy fected by reducing the number of husk` rolls to two.

This, of course, also similarly reduces the ynumber of cutters necessary for slitting the husk, and -when only twocutters are to be employed, it is practicable to use for this purpose a rotating disk which may be formed onY or with thefeed rolls of the pair immediately preceding the husking rolls; and this construction also dispenses with one pair of feed rolls, 'as may be clearly understood uponins'pection of 1, wherein it appears that when the pivoted knivesA are. employed for slitting, they are :preceded by-a pair of feed rolls; and the omission of the knives, their function being performed by cutting disks in the feed rolls-'immediately before the huskin'g rolls, makes it possible to set the conveyer, 2, in position to deliver directly to these last-'mentioned feed rolls. In Figs. 5 and 6, construction of this character isshown in detail. Thisplan'view' shows a feed roll, 50, having a cutting disk, Smmidway in its length. In this construction, instead ofthe vertical shafts, 14, mounted in gearing frames, l1, pivoted and swinging about their horizontal driving shafts, similar vertical shafts, 14X,

having at their lower ends beveled gears, 16, meshing v with beveled gears, 15, on the horizontal shaft as in the other construction, are journaled at theirvupper end in 51, which-is mounted for swinging upon lthe upper end of the shaft, 14X, a gear, 52, on the lower end of the shaft,

6X, being meshed with the-pinion, 53, on the shaft, 14X, between its bearing in the bracket, 11X', and 'the bearing, 51", of the housing upon it,fland by this construction the husking roll, 6, is rotated by the shaft, 14X, while free to swing about that shaft-.in order that the t'wo op posed rolls may accommodate ythemselvesin respect to their spread'to thesize of ear which is being operated upon betv'en them. In this construction, -the flexiblevaned rollers, 8, are carried upon short shafts, 54, which are also journaled in the housing bearing, 51,' and rotatedy by the engagement ofthey gears, 54, at the lower ends of said shaft with the gear, 52, onthe husking roll.

shaft within the housing. The housing swinging about' the shaft; 14X, carries withjt both the husking rolls and the flexible vaned rolls, 8, retained in unchanged relaf tion tojeach other throughout the swinging movement.

In this construction, the'husk strippers,62, are attached to the housing as shown in Figs. 5 and G. In this construction, the spring, 11a, which in the first described construction connects the pivoted bearing frames, 1l, connects the two housings, 51, for the two opposed rolls, with the same effectf-to wit, yieldingly drawing the two opposed rolls toward each other and 'permitting them to spread to accommodate different sized gears. A i

In either of the two constructions shown, the feed rolls between the two groups'of husking rolls (whether each group consists of two rolls'or of `four rolls) maybe omitted. In Fig. 5, repesenting the construct ion having only two husking rolls in each group, these interme-v diate feed rolls are not shown. This omission may be understood as applicable to either construction," and also it may be understood that the intermediate feed rolls might be employed in the second construction if desired, the'interval between the two'pairs of husking rolls being sucient to accommodate.

It will be understood that the husking rolls are adapt' .ill claim:-

1. A corn-husking machine comprising rolls adapted to grip the ears between them for feeding the ears longi4 tudinally, such rolls having peripheral barbs for engaging the husks; means for slitting the husks longitudinally between the rolls in the longitudinal morementof the ears, and ear-feeding devices which engage the ears beyond the husk-stripping devices.

2. Apcorn-husking machine comprising rolls adapted to grip the ears for feeding them longitudinally, having peripheral barbs for engaging the husk; means for slitting the husks longitudinally between-the rolls inthe longitudinal movement' of the ears, and means for stripping 'the husk from the rolls. A

3. In a machine for the purpose indicated, in combination with means for advancing the ears longitudinally, a peripherally barbed' device and means for holdingrit pressed toward the ear to engage the husks -for rotating it in the direction' of advance of the ear at the side there-toward. 5

l 4.' 1n a machine'for the purpose indicated, in combination with means for advancing the ears longitudinally, peripherally barbed devices opposed at opposite 'sides of the ear, and means for holding them pressed toward the ear and for rotating them in the direction of advance of the ear at their sides there-toward.

5,. A corn-husking machine comprising, in combination with means for advancing the ears longitudinally, means for slitting the husks longitudinally, and barbed devices rolling against the respective sections of the slitted husk for detacliing the latter from the ear.

G. In ya corn-husking machine, in combination .with means for advancing the ears longitudinally, means for -slitting the husks longitudinally; peripherally barbed 'def vices mounted for rotation at pianes to engage their barbs with the respective sections o f the slitted husl'is, and means for holding such barbed devices ressed toward the ear and for rotating them in the direction of advance of the ear at their sides there-toward. ,l

7. In a machine for the purpose indicated, in combination with means for advancingthe ears longitudinally, a plurality of peripherally barbed devices grouped around the'path of the ear, mounted for rotation in planes substantially radial to the axis of said path; means for holding the barbed devices yieldingly pressed toward the ear, and means for revolving them in the advance of the ear at the sides there-toward.

8. In a corn-huskiug machine, in combination with means for advancing the ears longitudinally, peripherally barbed rolls opposed at opposite sides of the ear; means for holding them pressed toward the ear and for rotating them in the direction of advance of the ear at their sides there-toward: to cause their barbs to engage the husk and strip the same from the-ear, and means for stripping the husks from the rolls.

9. In a corn-hnsking machine, in combination w'ith' 'means for advancing the ears longitudinally; cutters mounted for slitting the husks` longitudinally; peripherally barbed rolls mounted for rotation against the ear and adapted to grip the ear between them at positions alternating with thc-slits,'and means for holding'such rolls pressed toward the `ear for rotating them in. the direction ofthe advance'of the ear at their sides theretoward.

10. In a machine for the purpose indicated, in combination with an endless conveyer for receiving the ears, a hopper having a discharge mouth which extends longitudinally with respect to the conveyer overhanging the same, said mouth being limited in width to prevent the delivery of ears side by side; iTolls adapted to grip the ears for feeding them longitudinally between which they are received after passing oit` the endless conveyer, said rolls having peripheral barbs for engaging the husk, and means for slitting the husk longitudinally between the rolls in the longitudinal movement of the ears.

-11. A corn-husking machine comprising peripherally barbed rolls andmeans for holding them pressed toward the ear fonengaging the husk and for rotating them there-against to strip the husk from the ear, in combination with means for stripping the husk from the barbed rolls.

12. In a corn-husking machine, in combination with peripherally barbeddevices rotating against the, cars 'to engage their barbs with the husk for stripping it from the ears; a roll having flexible radial wings or vanes revolved in time with each of the peripherally-barbed huskdirection of,

toward and from the path of the ear, and means which yieldingly press such bearings toward such path.

v14. A corn-husking machine comprising peripherallybarbed rolls mounted for rotation against the ears; rotating shafts from which the rolls respectively derive motion; a bearing frame for each roll pivoted about the axis of its said driving shaft, and a spring operatingon such bearing frame for pressing the roll bearing toward the ear.

15. A corn-husking machine comprising opposed peripherally` barbed rolls mounted for rotation against opposite sides of the ear shafts in which the rolls respectively derive motion; bearing frames in which the rolls respectively are mounted, pivoted respectively about the axes of said shafts, and a spring vconnecting the ltwQ bearing frames for drawing them yieldingly toward each other.

1.6. A corn-husking machine comprising a peripherally Barbed roll mounted forrotation against the ears; a driving shaft for such roll; a bearing frame in which the shaft of the husking roll is journaled pivotedabout the axis of such driving shaft; a husk-engaging rollcoperating with the barbed roll to hold the husks on the latter, having its shaft journaled in the same bearing frame; gears connecting said three shafts, and a spring operating on/the bearing frame tending to yieldingly urge it in direction to press the husking roll toward the ears.

17. A husking machine comprising a peripherally barbed roll mounted for rotation against the ears; a driving shaft for such roll; a bearing frame'for the roll pivoted,

about the axis of s'uch driving shaft; a husk-engaging Aroll c'operating with the barbed roll to hold the husks on the latten-having its shaft journaled in the same frame, and gears connecting said three shafts, the bearingframe being formed as a housing foi-tall. the gears.

18. A corn-husking machine comprising a pair of peripherally barbed rolls mounted for rotation against the opposite sides of the ear; feed rolls for advancing the ear longitudinally between such barbed rolls, and husk-slitting disks mounted for rotation with the feed rolls respectively, said `f'eeed rolls and said barbed rolls being mounted for rotation in radial planes which alternate with each other around the axis of the ear.

19. A corn-huskng machine comprising` a pair of peripherally barbed rolls mounted for rotation about vertigal axes at opposite sides of the ear; feed rolls mounted for rotation about horizontal axes above and below the ear, and cutters for slitting 'the husks longitudinally at opposite sides at a plane between the mrbed rolls. v

20. A corn-husking machine comprising a peripherally barbed roll mounted, for rotation against the ears; a huskengaging roll coperating with the barbed roll to hcd the husks on the latter; means for pressing the husk-c ging roll toward the barbed roll and a stripper engag g the husk to strip it from the barbed roll beyond the huskengaging roll. l

21. A corn-husking machine comprising a peripherally barbed roll mounted for rotation against the ears; a ceoperating husk-engaging roll spring-pressed toward the barbediroll and a stripper for taking the husk oi the barbed rll beyond the spring-pressed roll.

22. A corn-bushing machine comprising a pcripherail barbed roll mounted for rotation against the eers to s* ip the husk therefrom; a coperating huskcngaging roii between which and the barbed Iroll the husk is engaged; two rolls rotating in the same direction at their proxima' i husk-engaging sides, and a stripping `device operating the' delivery side of the two rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, it Chicago, Illinois, this 26 day of September, 1906.

WILLIAM J'. LTCHIF'/-ii).

Witnesses EDWARD T. WRAY, J. S. ABBOTT. 

